Lens driving apparatus having tapered positioning dowel

ABSTRACT

A lens driving apparatus comprises a positioning dowel which rotatably supports a shaft of a driving member so as not to have a backlash. The positioning dowel is formed on a lens holding frame. A rack part and a coil spring mounting dowel are formed on the driving member. A coil spring is mounted on the coil spring mounting dowel of the driving member, and the rack part of the driving member is pressed against a feed screw of a motor by using the positioning dowel of the lens holding frame as a rotation fulcrum. The lens driving apparatus has an elastic rotating force in a direction along which the lens holding frame is made to abut a second guide pole, and a moment in a direction along which the lens holding frame is pressed against the second guide pole by self-weight of the lens holding frame, including the lens, is added to the elastic rotating force.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a lens driving apparatus which performsfocus adjustment (hereinafter abbreviated as focusing) by performinglens position adjustment of a master lens when a subject is photographedusing a video camera or the like and, more particularly, to a lensdriving apparatus which can prevent defocusing during a zoomingoperation resulting from manual focusing, or defocusing of aphotographed image which would otherwise result from a differencebetween positions during photographing.

BACKGROUND ART

Conventionally, a focusing operation of a lens driving apparatusincluded a video camera or the like, which is disclosed in JapanesePublished No. Hei.6-308361, has been known, and this will be describedwith reference to figures hereinafter. FIG. 8 is a perspective viewillustrating a main portion of a conventional lens driving apparatus.FIG. 9 is an expanded cross sectional view illustrating a relationshipbetween a feed screw and a first arm of a driving member in the lensdriving apparatus shown in FIG. 8. FIG. 10 is an expanded crosssectional view illustrating a relationship between the feed screw and asecond arm of the driving member in the lens driving apparatus shown inFIG. 8. FIG. 11 is an expanded cross sectional view illustrating acombination relationship between the driving member and a lens holdingframe in the lens driving apparatus shown in FIG. 8. FIG. 12 is anexpanded cross sectional view illustrating a combination and protectiverelationship between the driving member and the lens holding frame inthe lens driving apparatus shown in FIG. 8. FIG. 13 is a cross sectionalview of a main section illustrating the conventional lens drivingapparatus when the apparatus is faced in a horizontal direction toperform photographing. And, FIG. 14 is a cross sectional view of a mainsection illustrating the conventional lens driving apparatus duringtilt-photographing.

A structure of the conventional lens driving apparatus will be describedhereinafter. In FIG. 8, a lens 1, which performs focusing of a subjectis fixed to a lens holding frame 2, made of a resin, by performing anoperation such as heat-staking. The lens holding frame 2 is held by afirst guide pole 3 and a second guide pole 4, which are arranged in afixed body tube (not shown) so as to be slidable in the direction of alens optical axis 5. Further, there is provided a groove 2 a on an upperpart of the lens holding frame 2, which groove connects a driving member9 to the lens holding frame 2. There is further provided a feed screw 7a in a driving shaft 7 of a motor 6, which motor is attached to thefixed body tube. The driving member 9 made of a resin is slidably heldby a third guide pole 10 arranged at a motor mounting body 8 andextending parallel to the driving shaft 7. Furthermore, the drivingmember 9 is provided with a notch nut 9 a which is threadedly engagedwith the feed screw 7 a as shown in FIG. 9, and is also provided with afirst arm 9 b having spring characteristics for supporting the feedscrew 7 a by sandwiching the feed screw.

On the other hand, a second arm 9 d is formed on the driving member 9 asshown in FIG. 10, and a gap between the second arm 9 d and a thread partof the feed screw 7 a is constructed so as to have a smaller gap sizethan a screw-thread height size of the notch nut 9 a. Further, as shownin FIG. 11, at a portion of the driving member 9 that is connected withthe lens holding frame 2 there is provided an edge portion 9 c havingenough rigidity to slidably move the lens holding frame 2, and alsohaving spring characteristics. This edge portion 9 c is inserted intothe groove 2 a in the direction of the arrow, thereby constructing abacklash-free connection in the direction of the lens optical axis 5.Further, as shown in FIG. 12 at the portion of the driving member thatis connected with the lens holding frame 2 there is provided a stopperedge portion 9 e which does not abut the groove 2 a, so that the edgeportion 9 c having the spring characteristics is not curved to a springlimit due to shock.

In the conventional lens driving apparatus so constructed, an operationthereof will be described hereinafter. The feed screw 7 a formed in thedriving shaft 7 is inserted into the notch nut 9 a of the driving member9 so as to be pressured and energized by the first arm 9 b having thespring characteristics. In this case, since the driving member 9 is slidby the third guide pole 10 to move in the direction of the lens opticalaxis 5 when the motor 6 rotates, the lens holding frame 2 connected tothe driving member 9 is also slid by the first guide pole 3 and thesecond guide pole 4 in accordance with rotation of the motor 6 to movein the direction of the lens optical axis 5, thereby to obtain focusingof the lens 1.

However, in this construction, the driving member 9 supports the feedscrew 7 a by sandwiching it through the notch nut 9 a and the first arm9 b. Therefore, when the feed screw 7 a vibrates during rotation of themotor 6, this vibration is directly transmitted to the driving member 9,thereby causing the driving member to vibrate around the third guidepole 10. Since the driving member 9 and the lens holding frame 2 areconnected to each other in the direction of the lens optical axis 5 bythe edge portion 9 c, having spring characteristics, without backlash,vibration is transmitted to the lens holding frame 2 without beingcompletely absorbed in the edge portion 9 c, and therefore, the lensvibrates, whereby, when focusing is performed, an image shakes so that aphotographed video becomes hard to view.

Further, even when a tilt-photography is performed by a video camerawhich is provided with this lens driving apparatus, there is a problemas follows. Specifically, when a focusing operation is performed whilephotographing is performed in a state where the video camera ishorizontal, the lens holding frame 2, which holds the lens 1, is slid bythe first guide pole 3 and the second guide pole 4. Also, the drivingmember 9 is slid by the third guide pole 10, and the lens holding frame2 and the driving member 9, having respective clearances d, horizontallymove in the direction of the lens optical axis 5 to perform focusing asshown in FIG. 13.

When photographing is performed in a slightly tilted state from thisstate, as shown in FIG. 14, the edge portion 9c having the springcharacteristics cannot absorb a slope of the lens holding frame 2, andtherefore, the lens holding frame 2 tilts in a self-weight direction ofthe lens 1 shown by an arrow W3, by a smaller of a clearance D2maintained between the first guide pole 3 and the lens holding frame 2and a clearance D3 maintained between the third guide pole 10 and thedriving member 9, thereby accordingly generating a tilt of the lens 1and then a single blur phenomenon of a photographed video.

The present invention is made to solve these problems, and has for itsobject to provide a lens driving apparatus which faithfully transmits afeed displacement of a motor as feed displacement of a lens, has astable driving performance, and wherein a photographed video does notvibrate due to a vibration of the motor.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with a first aspect of the invention, provided is a lensdriving apparatus having a lens holding frame which holds a lens and isguided by a first guide pole and a second guide pole to slidably move ina lens optical axis direction. The apparatus further has a driving shafthaving a feed screw which is rotated and driven by a motor, and adriving member which has a rack threadedly engaged with the feed screwof the driving shaft at one end and is engaged with the lens holdingframe at another end. The driving member is rotatably mounted to apositioning dowel which is provided on the lens holding frame andextends in the lens optical axis direction via a positioning holeprovided in the driving member. Also, a spring member, which presses therack of the driving member against the driving shaft, as well asprovides an elastic rotating force in a direction along which the lensholding frame is pressed against the second guide pole, is providedbetween the lens holding frame and the driving member. A moment in adirection along which the lens holding frame is pressed against thesecond guide pole by a self-weight of the lens holding frame is added tothe elastic rotating force of the spring member. Accordingly, avoidedcan be a photographed video that vibrates due to a random vibrationproduced by rotation of the motor. Also, a feed displacement of themotor can be faithfully transmitted as feed displacement of the lens.

In accordance with a second aspect of the invention, in the lens drivingapparatus of the first aspect, the driving member is made of a resinmaterial and includes two integral leg parts that are capable of elasticdeformation and parallel to each other. The leg parts are respectivelyprovided with positioning holes at their tips. The positioning dowelformed in the lens holding frame has a taper shape such that a diameterof the dowel becomes smaller toward a tip thereof, and a diameter of abottom part of the positioning dowel is constructed so as to be largerthan a diameter of the positioning hole. Accordingly, feed displacementof the motor during photographing can be faithfully transmitted as feeddisplacement of the lens, and a continually stable driving performanceof the lens can be guaranteed.

In accordance with a third aspect of the invention, in the lens drivingapparatus of the second aspect, also provided is a stopper whichrestricts deformation and removal of the driving member, and is formedintegrally with the driving member and the lens holding frame. Thereby,when an external force acts on the lens holding frame due to a fall,shock, or the like, the driving member can be prevented from beingseparated from the lens holding frame.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a main portion according to anembodiment of a lens driving apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side view illustrating a state where a driving member and acoil spring are attached to a lens holding frame of the lens drivingapparatus shown in FIG. 1

FIG. 3 is a vector diagram illustrating directions of forces to actbetween a position where the lens holding frame and the coil spring areabutted, and a position where the lens holding frame and a second guidepole are abutted, in the lens driving apparatus shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view of a main section illustrating a statewhere a leg part of the driving member is attached to a positioningdowel of the lens holding frame in the lens driving apparatus shown inFIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a cross sectional view of a main section illustrating astopper of the driving member in the lens driving apparatus shown inFIG. 1.

FIG. 6 is a cross sectional view of a main section illustrating a statewhere an external force acts on the lens holding frame to createdisplacement in the lens driving apparatus shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 7 is a cross sectional view of a main section illustrating a statewhere the lens driving apparatus shown in FIG. 1 is tilted upwardly.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a main section in a conventional lensdriving apparatus.

FIG. 9 is a partially cross sectional view illustrating an engagement ofa first arm, having spring characteristics, of a driving member and afeed screw in the conventional lens driving apparatus.

FIG. 10 is a partially cross sectional view illustrating an engagementof a second arm of the driving member and the feed screw in theconventional lens driving apparatus.

FIG. 11 is a partially cross sectional view illustrating a state wherean edge portion, having spring characteristics, of the driving memberand a lens holding frame engage with each other in the conventional lensdriving apparatus.

FIG. 12 is a partially cross sectional view illustrating a state where astopper edge portion of the driving member is inserted into a groove fora joint of the lens holding frame in the conventional lens drivingapparatus.

FIG. 13 is a cross sectional view of a main section when theconventional lens driving apparatus is directed in a horizontaldirection to perform photographing.

FIG. 14 is a cross sectional view of a main section illustrating a statewhere the conventional lens driving apparatus is tilted upwardly.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be describedwith reference to figures. Further, the same numerals are given to thesame parts as the above-described conventional example, and the detaileddescription thereof will be omitted.

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a main portion of a lensdriving apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.FIG. 2 is a side view illustrating a state where a driving member and acoil spring are attached to a lens holding frame in the lens drivingapparatus shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is a vector diagram illustratingdirections of forces which act between a position where the lens holdingframe and the coil spring are abutted, and a position where the lensholding frame and a second guide pole are abutted, in the lens drivingapparatus shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view of a mainsection illustrating a state where a leg part of the driving member isattached to a positioning dowel of the lens holding frame in the lensdriving apparatus shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 5 is a cross sectional view of amain section illustrating a stopper of the driving member in the lensdriving apparatus shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 6 is a cross sectional view of amain section illustrating a state where an external force acts on thelens holding frame to create displacement in the lens driving apparatusshown in FIG. 1. And, FIG. 7 is a cross sectional view of a main sectionillustrating a state where the lens driving apparatus shown in FIG. 1 istilted upwardly.

In FIGS. 1 and 2, numeral 1 denotes a lens, and numeral 2 denotes a lensholding frame made of a resin, for holding the lens 1. The lens holdingframe 2 is held by a first guide pole 3 and a second guide pole 4, andhas a constant clearance D1 with respect to the second guide pole 4 tobe guided, and slidably moves in the direction of a lens optical axis 5.Numeral 9 denotes a driving member which connects the lens holding frame2 with a feed screw 7a formed in a driving shaft 7 of a motor 6. On thedriving member 9, the following components are integrally formed: a legpart 9 j capable of elastic deformation, which part is composed of twoplates having spring characteristics and extending parallel to eachother; a mounting dowel 9 h which mounts a coil spring 11; a firstgroove 9 g against which an end portion of the coil spring 11 abuts; anda rack part 9 f which is pressured and energized by the feed screw 7 aand makes the driving member 9 itself move in the direction of the lensoptical axis 5 together with a rotation of the feed screw 7 a. Further,the leg part 9 j is provided with a positioning hole 9 i which engageswith a positioning dowel 2 b formed on the lens holding frame 2, andmakes the leg part 9 j and the lens holding frame 2 rotatable relativeto each other.

Further, the coil spring 11 is engaged with the mounting dowel 9 h, anda first end portion 11 a and a second end portion 11 b of the coilspring abut against the first groove 9 g formed in the driving member 9and second groove 2 e formed in the lens holding frame 2, respectively.The rack part 9 f abuts the feed screw 7 a by a reaction force of thecoil spring 11. Also, the lens holding frame 2 is constructed so as torotate in a counterclockwise direction by using the first guide pole 3as a rotation fulcrum shaft. Further, the lens holding frame 2 isprovided with an engaging part 2 c,as part of a stopper, integrallyformed with the lens holding frame 2. The engaging part 2 c is formed astwo spaced-apart members extending from the lens holding frame 2.

In a lens driving apparatus so constructed, as shown in FIG. 2, a forcealways acts on a C-point of the lens holding frame 2, which has aconstant clearance Dl with respect to the second guide pole 4, such thatthe lens holding frame is slidably and movably held in acounterclockwise direction shown by an arrow, by a reaction force of thecoil spring 11. This will be described in detail with reference to thevector view shown in FIG. 3.

In FIG. 3, A shows a center of the first guide pole 3 shown in FIG. 2, Bshows a contact point between the second groove 2 e and the coil spring11, and C shows a contact point between the second guide pole 4 and thelens holding frame 2.

When a vertical direction component of an elastic rotating forcegenerated by the coil spring 11 relative to a line segment which links Ato B is FB, a rotation moment is generated in the counterclockwisedirection by taking the center A of the first guide pole 3 as areference. Accordingly, when a component which acts in a verticaldirection relative to a line segment which links the A-point to theC-point is FC, at the C-point a force in a direction of FC=FB 33 AB/ACalways acts. Further, a moment, in a direction along which the lensholding frame 2 press-contacts with the second guide pole 4, created bya self-weight W1 of the lens holding frame 2, including the lens 1, isadded to the elastic rotating force.

Next, as shown in FIG. 4, the positioning dowel 2 b, having a taper-likeprojecting shape such that a the diameter of the dowel becomes smallertoward a tip thereof, which is formed integrally with the lens holdingframe 2, is attached to the leg part 9 j of the driving member 9 in astate such that the positioning dowel 2 b is elastically supported bybeing sandwiched. Also, as shown in FIG. 2, the driving member 9 isrotated by the coil spring 11 in a clockwise direction, whereby the rackpart 9 f formed in the driving member 9 is threadedly engaged with thefeed screw 7 a. Further, the positioning hole 9 i formed in the leg part9 j has a taper-like projecting shape such that a diameter of the holebecomes smaller toward a tip thereof, whereby the driving member 9easily rotates. The positioning hole 9 i is in linear contact with thepositioning dowel 2 b, i.e. is tangent with the positioning dowel, so asnot to generate a backlash due to a clearance between the positioninghole 9 i and the positioning dowel 2 b of the lens holding frame 2,whereby rotating friction resistance is small. Further, as shown in FIG.5, a projection 9 k is provided at a tip of the driving member 9, andthe members of the engaging part 2 c are integrally formed on the lensholding frame 2 so as to define a space therebetween within which isreceived a tip of the projection 9 k with a clearance. The engaging part2 c engages with the projection 9 k so as to form the stopper.

In this way, the driving member 9 and the lens holding frame 2 engagewith each other, whereby, as shown in FIG. 6, when a force in adirection shown by an arrow F acts on the lens holding frame 2 due to afall, shock, or the like, lift is produced against the positioning dowel9 b in the leg part 9 j. However, at this time, the projection 9 kintegrally formed at a tip of the driving member 9 abuts the engagingpart 2 c, so that the leg part 9 j is not separated from the positioningdowel 2 b.

In the lens driving apparatus so constructed, an operation thereof willbe described hereinafter. When a video camera is trained on a givensubject, a lens driving apparatus built in the video camera operates toperform focusing on the subject, and the lens 1 in this lens drivingapparatus is moved to a focusing position by an automatic focusingcontrol circuit (not shown). During this focusing operation, the lensdriving apparatus shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 operates so that the motor 6rotates, the driving member 9 pressed against the feed screw 7 a by thecoil spring 11 moves in the direction of the lens optical axis 5 inaccordance with rotation of the motor 6, and the lens holding frame 2connected to the driving member 9 is also guided by the first guide pole3 and the second guide pole 4 in accordance with rotation of the motor 6to slidably move in the direction of the lens optical axis 5, therebyobtaining focusing by using the lens 1.

At this time, although the feed screw 7 a vibrates via rotationalvibration of the motor 6, vibration of the feed screw 7 a is transmittedto the driving member 9, because the rack part 9 f of the driving member9 is always pressed against the feed screw 7 a. However, since the coilspring 11, which provides an elastic rotating force, is disposed betweenthe driving member 9 and the lens holding frame 2, and further since amoment in a direction along which the lens holding frame 2 is pressedagainst the second guide pole 4 by the self-weight of the lens holdingframe 2, including the lens 1, is added to the elastic rotating force,vibration which is produced in the lens holding frame 2 is absorbed.

Next, a description will be given of a case where the lens drivingapparatus according to this embodiment is tilted upwardly with referenceto FIG. 7. As shown in FIG. 7, the leg part 9 j of the driving member 9elastically supports the positioning dowel 2 b having a taper-likeprojecting shape, by sandwiching the dowel 2 b. In addition, thepositioning hole 9 i formed in the leg part 9 j and having a taper-likeprojecting shape is in linear contact with the positioning dowel 2 b soas not to generate a backlash due to a clearance between the positioninghole 9 i and the positioning dowel 2 b. Further, the driving member 9 ispressed against the feed screw 7 a by the above-described action of thecoil spring 11, and a moment in a direction along which the lens holdingframe 2 press-contacts the second guide pole 4 is provided. Therefore,such a conventional phenomenon in that focusing is off because the lens1 is tilted due to a difference between positions, is not realized. Inaddition, the driving member 9 can faithfully transmit feed displacementof the feed screw 7 a to the lens holding frame 2 as feed displacement,and the lens 1 is guided by the first guide pole 3 and the second guidepole 4, thereby moving the lens 1 in the direction of the lens opticalaxis 5. Further, W2 denotes a self-weight in the direction of the lensoptical axis 5.

Further, while an example in which the leg part 9 j is integrally formedwith the driving member 9 is described in this embodiment, this leg part9 j may be a different member that is separate from the driving member9. Further, while the coil spring 11 is described as a different memberfrom the driving member 9, the driving member 9 may be provided with amember having spring characteristics as an integrated part.

As described above, according to this embodiment, vibration of the motor6 is absorbed by the coil spring 11 which is disposed between thedriving member 9 and the lens holding frame 2, and by a pressing of thelens holding frame 2 against the second guide pole 4 due to self-weightof the lens holding frame 2, including the lens 1. Therefore, vibrationof the lens 1 is not realized such that vibration of a photographedvideo is also not realized. Further, the positioning dowel 2 b providedon the lens holding frame 2 is constructed so as to be elasticallysupported by being sandwiched in the positioning dowel 9 i by the legpart 9 j of the driving member 9, thereby eliminating an occurrence ofbacklash due to a clearance between the positioning dowel andpositioning hole, faithfully transmitting feed displacement of the motor6 at a time of photographing as feed displacement of the lens 1, andguaranteeing a continually stable driving performance of the lens 1.

INDUSTRIAL AVAILABILITY

As described above, the lens driving apparatus according to the presentinvention relates to a lens driving apparatus which performs focusadjustment (focusing) by performing lens position adjustment of a masterlens when a subject is photographed by using a video camera or the like.The lens driving apparatus can prevent defocusing during a zoomingoperation resulting from manual focusing, or defocusing of aphotographed image which would otherwise result from a differencebetween positions during photographing.

What is claimed is:
 1. A lens driving apparatus comprising: a lensholding fame for holding a lens, said lens holding frame including afirst tapered positioning dowel that tapers, along a first axis, from alarger diameter at a base end to a smaller diameter at a tip end; afirst guide pole and a second guide pole for slidably supporting saidlens holding frame so as to slidably support the lens in a direction ofsaid first axis when the lens is held by said lens holding frame,wherein said first axis corresponds to an optical axis of the lens whenthe lens is held by said lens holding frame; a driving shaft having afeed screw; a motor to rotate said driving shaft and said feed screw; adriving member including a rack having one end that is threadablyengaged with said feed screw and having a second end that is engagedwith said lens holding frame, said driving member also including a firstelastically deformable leg part, with said first elastically deformableleg part defining a first positioning hole with a diameter that is lessthan said larger diameter of said first postioning dowel, and with saidfirst positioning dowel being received within said first positioninghole such that a portion of said first elastically deformable leg partthat defines said first positioning hole is tangent with said firstpositioning dowel and such that said driving member is rotatably mountedto said lens holding same; and a spring member for urging said rackagainst said driving shaft, and for providing an elastic rotating forcein a direction along which said lens holding frame presses against saidsecond guide pole, said spring member being provided between said lensholding frame and said driving member, whereby a moment, in thedirection along which said lens holding frame presses against saidsecond guide pole, created by a self-weight of said lens holding frameis added to the elastic rotating force provided by said spring member.2. The lens driving apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said lensholding frame also includes a second tapered positioning dowel thattapers, along said first axis, from a larger diameter at a base end to asmaller diameter at a tip end, said driving member also includes asecond elastically deformable leg part that is parallel to said firstelastically deformable leg part, said second elastically deformable legpart defining a second positioning hole with a diameter that is lessthan said larger diameter of said second positioning dowel, and withsaid second positioning dowel being received within said secondpositioning hole such that a portion of said second elasticallydeformable leg part that defines said second positioning hole is tangentwith said second positioning dowel and such that said driving memberremains rotatably mounted to said lens holding frame.
 3. The lensdriving apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said first and secondelastically deformable leg parts are integral with said driving member.4. The lens driving apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said firstand second elastically deformable leg parts comprise resin material. 5.The lens driving apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said first andsecond elastically deformable leg parts define said first and secondpositioning holes in tip portions of said first and second elasticallydeformable leg parts, respectively.
 6. The lens driving apparatusaccording to claim 5, further comprising a stopper for restrictingdeformation and removal of said driving member, said stopper beingintegral with said driving member and said lens holding frame and beingin the vicinity of said feed screw.
 7. The lens driving apparatusaccording to claim 1, wherein said first and second elasticallydeformable leg parts are integral with said driving member.
 8. The lensdriving apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said first and secondelastically defornable leg parts comprise resin material.
 9. The lensdriving apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said first and secondelastically deformable leg parts define said first and secondpositioning holes in tip portions of said first and second elasticallydeformable leg parts, respectively.
 10. The lens driving apparatusaccording to claim 9, further comprising a stopper for restrictingdeformation and removal of said driving member, said stopper beingintegral with said driving member and said lens holding fame and beingin the vicinity of said feed screw.
 11. The lens driving apparatusaccording to claim 1, wherein said first and second elasticallydeformable leg parts comprise resin material.
 12. The lens drivingapparatus according to claim 11, wherein said first and secondelastically deformable leg parts define said first and secondpositioning holes in tip portions, of aid first and second elasticallydeformable leg parts, respectively.
 13. The lens driving apparatusaccording to claim 12, further comprising a stopper for restrictingdeformation and removal of said driving member, said stopper beingintegral with said driving member and said lens holding frame and beingin the vicinity of said feed screw.
 14. The lens driving apparatusaccording to claim 1, wherein said first and second elasticallydeformable leg parts define said first and second positioning holes intip portions said first and second elastically deformable leg parts,respectively.
 15. The lens driving apparatus according to claim 14,further comprising a stopper for restricting deformation and removal ofsaid driving member, said stopper being integral with said drivingmember and said lens holding frame and being in the vicinity of saidfeed screw.
 16. The lens driving apparatus according to claim 1, furthercomprising a stopper for restricting deformation and removal of saiddriving member, said stopper being integral with said driving member andsaid lens holding frame and being in the vicinity of said feed screw.17. The lens driving apparatus according to claim 16, wherein saidstopper includes a projection extending from said driving member and anengaging part to receive said projection.
 18. The lens driving apparatusaccording to claim 17, wherein said engaging part comprises a firstmember and a second member defining a space therebetween and extendingfrom said lens holding frame, and said engaging part is to receive saidprojection by receiving said projection within said space such that saidprojection is linearly displaceable within said space from said firstmember to said second member.